Joshua Paul Furr

I can hardly believe he's here already! He has been so much fun to have around. He's generally pretty mellow especially considering we're playing the jaundice game again with him just like we did with Autumn. He's far more content to just lay on the table and hang out. I am so in love with my little man!

On Wednesday, November 2nd, I woke up for work at 6:00 a.m. feeling very nauseous and dizzy with a headache and some side pain.  I called the doctors and they wanted me to go to the hospital for a quick evaluation to make sure I wasn't having early signs of preeclampsia. 

I went in and of course, I wasn't having preeclampsia, so I was feeling dumb that they made me go in at all, but during the evaluation, they noticed that his heart rate would slow down on occasion and didn't know if this was something to worry about.  They scheduled me for a non stress test on Thursday and while there, his heart rate kept slowing down and the decision was made to induce me four days early just to be safe.

We woke up super early on Friday, November 4th and headed to the hospital.  I had no specific plans for my labor, I hadn't prepared myself for natural labor or anything, so I told the doctor when I came in that I didn't want an epidural right away, but wanted to just see how things progressed.  I also requested that they not break my water right away as that had turned somewhat disastrous with Autumn.  So, they let me labor for a while.  I went pretty fast actually and was handling the contractions pretty well, but I moved to a birthing ball and that put crazy pressure on my insides and I lost my concentration.  The nurse checked me and I was a 7 and then I really freaked out because I knew that if I wanted an epidural I had to get it at that moment or I couldn't get one at all.  Well, I caved to my panic and got the epidural, which wasn't the most comfortable procedure I've ever had.  After getting that, they checked me again and it was almost time to push.  The epidural wore off, so the anesthesiologist had to come in to redose me.  That lasted about 15 minutes and then it wore off and he had to come back again and give me another dose.  Well, at this point, it was time to start pushing and off we went.  I pushed twice during a contraction and then twice during another.  Dr. Broberg gently turned Josh as he was posterior again and then told me that when he said "push" to push, but I had to stop when he said "stop."  So, the next contraction came and I pushed and then stopped and then pushed and then stopped and pushed once more and he was here.  I wasn't totally numb and that was the coolest feeling to have him come out and feel that release of pressure.

Josh had the cord around his neck twice, which was most likely the cause of the distress he was in.  He came out blue and limp, but Dr. Broberg didn't seem terribly concerned although the nurse called in the whole pediatric team and suddenly instead of 5 of us in the room, there were closer to 11 people.  But, he didn't need any intervention and started crying very shortly after birth.  He got cleaned up and then I got to hold him for a while, which was nice cause when I had Autumn they took her away pretty quickly.

Here's us with Dr. Broberg and our nurse Jessica.  They were the best!!!

Me and Brian with Josh

Josh getting bathed

Josh "brought" Autumn a present when he was born and Autumn thought that was pretty cool of her little brother to do!

Our first family photo

Autumn holding Josh

Autumn is still a little on the fence about Josh.  She kind of keeps at arms length from him.  But if someone else tries to take him from mom or dad, she gets pretty upset.  She cried on Sunday when the nurse took him away for his hearing screening and she cried again today when the doctor held him to look at him.  I think it's sweet that she's so protective.

Josh hanging out.

And this is what we're doing for the next few days.  Hopefully by Thursday he'll come off the lights and I can have my baby back.  I don't know what it is, but even though I usually like to be doing things, I am so content to just sit and hold him.  I could do it all day long!

32..uh 33....um actually 34!

First of all, I'm very much wondering about myself that I don't know how far along I am without checking my ticker on this blog!  I was honestly thinking I was 32 weeks along, but turns out I'm 34!  That's the way to do it!  Glad I didn't think it was the other way around!

Life has been good and hectic for us lately.  I'm still working early in the morning and Brian is helping out at the house with the last projects...cement in the yard!  Autumn is still cute as ever with her moments thrown in there of course!

I asked my wonderful sister-in-law Angela take some photos of me and Brian and Autumn.  I had refused to let anyone take any pictures of me when I was pregnant with Autumn, but I decided this time around that it would be worthwhile to document what this whole process looks like.  Now, I am not one of those women who are blessed to only get pregnant in their bellies, nope, I get pregnant from head to toe!  But, after all the struggle, months trying to get pregnant, miscarriages and all the discomforts that come along with this process, I wanted to have some pictures that show what my body has done. 

(I aplogize that the pictures are a little weird, I'm not sure how to edit on Blogger anymore!)

It's a...

  BOY!!!

This pregnancy has been an interesting one.  I've had a lot more nausea, a lot more fatigue, and no feelings one way or the other as to the gender of the child--until last saturday.  For some reason, I started referring to him as a "him" in my mind.  So, I said to Brian, "Ok, I'm going on the record with just you.  I think it's a boy."  Brian didn't have feelings one way or the other, so he just smiled and said, "Ok, we'll see."

Today, my suspicions were confirmed!  We are having a little boy.  Brian and I had already picked out both a girl's name and a boy's name, so we were left waiting to find out which name we'd be using.  So, he will be Joshua Paul Furr.

I am excited, a little nervous, and really overwhelmed by the news today.  But, the best part is, is that he is healthy and growing normally.

Brian is excited too, but I think reality is hitting him a little bit at a time.

Autumn, well, she's not exactly thrilled.  We came home and asked her if she wanted a little brother.  She threw herself on the floor and starting screaming, "No brother!  No brother!"  Uh, oh.  She'll just have to get over it, here's hoping she will!

Helipocker....whop

Autumn has been very aware lately of everything that Brian and I are doing.  Autumn follows me around all day giving a running commentary on what I'm doing. 

"Mommy showering."

"Mommy excercising."

"Mommy cleaning."

"Mommy potty."

"Mommy walk."

"Mommy shopping."

It goes on and on.

She also is a master at telling you what anything says...

"What does a truck say?"

"Vroom!"

"What does a frog say?"

"Ribbit!"

"What does Buick say?"

"Whine." (This one's my favorite!)

"Say helicopter..."

"Helipocker."

"What does a helicopter say?"

"Whop."

The hardest part of Autumn's day is when Brian leaves in the morning.  It's especially hard on her if he leaves before she wakes up so she doesn't get to see him.

Yesterday, Autumn got up and was wandering around the house.  Brian left to go to school and she came running into my room and said...

"Daddy gone?"

"Yep, he's gone.  Do you know where he went?"

With the saddest look on her face, she turned to me and said...

"Daddy helipocker, whop."

Photo Explosion!!!

I've disappeared from blogging for a bit, but I'm back and making an effort!!!

We've been busy for the last little while and I wanted to post some pictures of some of the things going on in our everyday lives.

First, we have the big house!!!  Carpet was laid a few weeks ago now and the place is looking awesome. 

Here are the stairs going down to the basement.

 Here's the basement

 Brady standing in the upstairs hall

 The garage with all it's wonderful storage

Here are some photos of Autumn and all the craziness she is up to these days.

 She loves to play piano, especially if someone else is already playing it.

 Reading stories to Buick

 These were her Christmas p.j.'s

 We had a really nice Christmas this year.  We went to Brian's parent's house first thing in the morning and then opened presents at our house, then to my parent's in the afternoon.

 Autumn loved her gifts and loved the unwrapping part

 No Christmas is complete without a candy cane

 She loves spending time with Brian and she will take any opportunity she can get

 One day I noticed her dropping some Cheerios down the heat vent.  I didn't realize just how long this had been going on until Brian reached into the vent to clean it out and pulled a whole pile of random snacks out of there.  Maybe she was trying to stash them away for later.

Autumn is now FINALLY interested in cartoons.  She wouldn't watch them for the longest time, which should be a good thing, but I need a few moments every now and then where she isn't attached to me.  But, I turned on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and now all she wants is to watch "Mimi"

I wouldn't give her her regular binkie, so she stole her doll's binkie.

 "Ha, ha, Mom, I'm WAY too smart for you!!!"

The other morning I went in to get her out of bed and she had her binkie in her mouth and her blankie in her hands.  She looked at me and said, "Bunny."  So I grabbed her bunny and handed it to her.  Then she said, "Bear."  So I handed her her bear.  Finally, she said, "Book."  I figured out a spot that I could jam the book so she could carry it and off she went. 

I love doing her hair in pigtails, but this is what it always looks like after nap time. 



Well, that's us for now.  I will try to stay a little more on top of things.